Okanagan Game Developers Association

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About Us

Our Mission

The Okanagan Game Developers’ Association (OGDA) is dedicated to growing a thriving gaming industry in the Okanagan Region. Kelowna is home to a wide community of talented game developers, coming from careers at studios like EA, Blizzard, Disney, Bioware and more, as well as hosting institutes like the University of British Columbia – Okanagan (UBCO), and Okanagan College (OC). We are seeking to connect these passionate people together, as well as provide valuable resources and events to help foster development, career advancement, community, and advocate for the interests of game developers.

Our initiatives are designed to connect game creators with industry professionals, investors, publishers, academic institutions, and government bodies. We provide regular meetups to connect you to the community, as well as workshops, Game Jams, playtesting and feedback sessions, and fireside chats and seminars with top industry veterans. Through these efforts, we hope to take the Okanagan beyond wine and tourism and show that we also grow amazing games and great creators.

Our Pillars

GUIDE

OGDA provides valuable guidance through workshops and programs where creators receive hands-on feedback and personalized advice from experienced mentors and advisors.

Animation Portfolio Workshop
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Kickstarter Workshop
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Ideation Workshop
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CONNECT

We build and nurture a welcoming community that empowers game creators to connect, collaborate, and grow together.

Celebrating Creativity: A Look Back at the 2025 Okanagan Summer Game Jam!
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The Incredible Submissions from the Okanagan Summer Game Jam
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Physical Games at Game Jams
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INSPIRE

By telling the stories of our community, from their wins to their struggles, we ignite imagination and inspire future generations to explore, create, and play.

OGDA promotes - Indie Innovators
Spotlight: Indie Innovators Podcast
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First Time Jammer – Jacob
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From Idea to Reality: The Story of Quail Crossing
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Our Founders & Board

Our board members have a wide range of experience covering topics from early game development to marketing and launching a game, and experience founding a studio and maintaining it.

Jason Jones

Chair

Vanessa Devine

Vice Chair

Jonathan Thwaites

Treasurer

James Smith

Secretary

Experts in Residence

Aryon Billings

Producer / Manager
Aryon has over 20 years of progressive work experience as a Professional Project, Product and Program Manager, specializing in leading major IT initiatives for Government and Private Industry. Key areas of focus consist of Video Game development, Identity Management, and Blockchain/Crypto. Highlights include shipping 3 AAA Video Game Titles, being responsible for launching Canada's first level 3 Digital Identity and managing the what and when (Product & Project Management) for the first publicly traded Bitcoin ATM company. Described as the "glue" in every role ever held, with the ability to see when critical items are being dropped and jumping in to ensure success.

Barbara Dawson

Animation Expert
Barbara Dawson has worked in CG animation and VFX for close to 30 years as a Producer, Manager, Recruiter and Educator. Her understanding of the needs of a production and a studio is based on first hand experience. Her specialty is creating high functioning teams by uncovering and leveraging their unique talents. She is excellent at mentoring managers to be efficient, effective and supportive. She is currently working as a consultant for Animation and VFX Studios offering high-end Contract Recruiting, creating Project Post Mortems and offering Leadership Coaching.

Vanessa Devine

Program Strategist
Vanessa Devine is currently a pivotal member of the production team at Cloudhead Games where she leverages her experience and education in UX design to enhance the production process and support her team towards success. A resident of Kelowna for the past five years, Vanessa has recently become a part of the local community through volunteering her time with OGDA. Vanessa hopes to be part of leading sustainable growth in the Okanagan game’s industry by crafting and delivering engaging presentations, while also supporting individuals through production workshops.

Chris Hendricks

Composer/Animator
Chris Hendricks is a music composer, animator, programmer, illustrator, and game designer. He created working Unity prototypes of many game ideas to various levels of completion to assess their feasibility. He has also been able to provide sound, animation, and concept illustration work as needed. These skills have taken him into a few different areas of the online world, but chances are you know him for work on Club Penguin and/or Hyper Hippo Games, creating video game experiences in a variety of genres.

Jason Jones

Director
Jason Jones is a Kelowna-based Founder, Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Mentor, Impact Investor, and self-aware Startup Addict. As a well-regarded member of the entrepreneur community, Jason plays a pivotal role in shaping the next generation of startups as an Entrepreneur in Residence (EiR) at Foresight CAC and Business Mentor at Futurpreneur Canada. In 2006, Jason launched Vertical Motion Inc., which has since grown into one of Canada's top software and application developers. Besides running and managing his business, Jason predominantly dedicates his time to advising founders and entrepreneurs through Foresight’s Product Delivery program and Vertical Motion's Product Launch courses. Jason is regarded by his peers as a practiced leader, self-starter, and visionary who effectively articulates both high-level business concepts and intricate technical details. His strong commitment to supporting his clients coupled with his genuine care for their business creates an open space for creativity, innovation, and growth.

James Smith

Program Coordinator - Video Games
A local Sioux and Cree Métis entrepreneur, James Smith is the Founder, Principal, and Producer at BlackCap Creative Ltd, where he specializes in game triage, fixing, and salvaging gaming projects. As a Kelowna-based entrepreneur and Unreal Engine advocate, James is passionate about helping indie studios and new game developers build sustainable studios, not just successful games. His leadership at BlackCap Creative Ltd, as an external development partner, has exposed him to a wide range of scales, budgets, and timelines in the gaming industry. With hands-on experience in the direct development and production of those projects, James brings a well-rounded knowledge base to the team and is enthusiastic about fostering growth in the region.

Jonathan Thwaites

Program Coordinator - Board Games
For as long as he can remember, Jonathan designed games as a hobby, enjoying both the challenge, and the enjoyment of others playing his designs. In university he majored in Psychology, minoring in Education and Literature with the goal of becoming a youth counselor in the education system. Due to governmental changes regarding education and counseling, he was unable to fulfill this goal, and instead moved into University food service district management for the next decade and a half. During this time, he was a primary member of the team that redesigned the company's training materials and Health and Safety Guidelines. He turned down the chance to be part of the company’s head office as that would’ve meant leaving his home in the Okanagan. In 2015 he took the steps to becoming a full time game designer, designing Licensed games for 2 years. In 2017 his employment changed, allowing him more freedom in design and creative expression. He feels deeply connected to the design community, as without their help and encouragement he would not be where he is today. As such, he mentors other new designers and runs local kids game design courses to help foster new designers.
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